Mattress-filling machine.



No. 764,500. I

PATBNTBD JULY 5, 1904. r. A. RICE. MATTRESS FILLING MACHINE.

APPLIOA'I'IOH FILED AUG. 19, 1001.

B BHBET8-BHEBT 1.

NO MODEL.

iNVENTDFi N02 764,500. PATENTED JULY 5, 1904. F. A. RICE. MATTRESSFILLING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 19. 1901.

VIT E?EE 4 MN 131312" I U 3 A IN E'NTQR 2 FIG 9 47 m Maw Mw a L PATENTEDJULY 5, 1904.

F. A. RICE. MATTRESS FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 19, 1901.

N0 MODEL.

LM L 9 u 1: 1- :ii: iiii:

LNVEINTDF'! NEE ,1; a

lllvllll llll WITNEEES UNITED STATES iatented. Il'uly 5, 19041.

PATENT OEEIcE.

FRANCIS A. RICE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- THIRD TOGEORGE AABEL, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

MATTRESS-FILLING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,500, dated July 5,1904. Application filed August 19, 1901. Serial No. 72,597. (No model.)

To a. whom it may concern:

Beit known that 1, FRANoIs A. RICE, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of the city and county of San Francisco, Stateof California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMattress-Filling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to machinery for.

stufling mattresses and quilts and aims to provide novel and desirablefeatures in the construction, adjustability, and operation of a primaryfilling device or receiver, in the means for conveying it and itscontents to the ticker other container, and in the mode of returningthis primary receiver empty to its normal position in the machine, so asto leave its load, or the filling material, properly disposed within thecontainer, as well as in the general construction and arrangement of thevarious parts.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, Figure 1 is apartly-broken half-sectional front elevation of the machine. Figs. 2 and3 are detail views of a compressing device forming part of the machine.Fig. 4 is a top view on a reduced scale and Without the superimposedelevating device seen in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectionon the line 5 5 ofFig. 1 looking to the right. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are detail views showingmeans for separably con necting at their .tworear corners the platesthat constitute the primary receiver, and of which views Fig. 6 is anelevation looking from the rear of said receiver, Fig. 7 is a side viewlooking into thereceiver from the right of Fig. 6, and Fig. 8 across-section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7 looking down. Fig. 9 is a sideelevation on the same scale as Fig. 4:. Figs. 10, 11, and. 12 aresectional elevations, more or less diagrammatic, of the primary receiverfilled with iiber and of its shiftingsproeket mechanism, showing thesame in different positions with reference to the tick or container.

The form of my machine herein illustrated 7 consists chiefly of asupportingframe; a primary receiver comprising bottom, side, and topplates, all capable of adjustment; guides for said. side plates forminga vertical extension to the primary receiver; means for elevating thesaid top plates, for returning them to the receiver, and for applyingpressure upon the fiber or filling material, and mechanism fortransferring the charged receiver to and within the container and forreturning it empty to the machine.

As indicated in Figs. 1, I, and 9, the supporting-frame is composed. ofsuitable corner posts or standards A, usually secured to the floor ofthe building where the machine is set up, and of upper and lowerlongitudinal and transverse timbers or beams A A, con-necting the endsof said posts or standards with one another and properly steadying thesame.

The bottom of the receiver consists of three metallic platesa centralplate B and two lateral plates B. and Bof a length and total widthsuflicient for the filling of the largest mattress or quilt. The top issimilarly formed of a central plate B and lateral plates B" B. Thelateral plates of both thetop and bottom overlap the middle plates,preferably upon the outer faces thereof, so as to he transverselyslidable thereon for freedom of adjustment to any desired width ofcontainer. The ends of the central plates B and B are bent and donbledover the ends of the lateral plates B B and B B, respectively, so as toloosely grasp the latter and form guide-flanges 7) 7) and I) 1), againstand within which the ends of said lateral plates are free to slidetransversely. This provides for the aforesaid width adjustment and atthe same time prevents relative move ment of the center and lateralplates longitudinally, so that the sliding of the center plates of thetop and bottom backward and forward effects a corresponding movement ofthe lateral plates.

The side plates of the primary receiver are indicated by B' B. I provideseveral widths of these side plates to accommodate the differentthicknesses of mattresses, &c. These side plates are preferably curvedalong their top and bottom edges, so as to bend toward and against theedges of the top and bottom lateral plates B B B to give them greaterfirmness and for reasons that will presently appear. This curvature isshown in Figs. 1 and 6, but rather exaggerated. As seen in Fig. 1, theupper lateral and lower lateral plates B B B B are also somewhat bent,divergently with relation to each other, so as to contact the concavityof the said curvature of the side plates B* B more or less squarely inorder to form better sliding joints for these several plates against oneanother. The top and bottom lateral plates are not shown curved in Fig.6, because this is not deemed an indispensable feature of my invention.The means employed'for holding up the side plates B* B in apt relationto the other plates aforesaid will be described later.

In order to keep the top and bottom plates of the receiver in positionand properly rigid to enable pressure to be applied to filling materialplaced between the same,'I dispose longitudinally above the top plates BB" B and below the bottom plates B B B a sufficient number (preferablyfive in each place) of strong bars or scantlings, those disposed abovethe top plates being designated by the reference characters C C" C" C Cand those positioned below the bottom plates by the characters C C C C CThe upper middle bar C is secured centrally by end fastenings 0 0, Figs.1 and f, to suspend crossbeams A* A that are slidable up and down withinrunways A A on each pair of end standards A. The lower middle bar issimi' larly attached by fastenings c c to,the lower transverse timbersor fixed beams A of the machine-frame. The other bars, C C C C arearranged in parallel pairs and rigidly secured together at properdistances apart by adjusting-bolts 0 0' 0 0 The upper pairs C" C' arehung from and slidably engaged with flange-plates D E (T-shaped incrosssection) on the under side of the suspended beams A* A by shoes (Z(Z c e, arranged to bear on opposite sides of said flange-plates. Thelower pairs C C rest on and engage in an analogous manner, by means ofshoes ff g 9', similar flange-plates F G on the fixed beams A The shoes(Z a f g d e f g, it will be observed, are secured to the ends of theirrespective bars and are oppositely disposed, so as to guide the latterand keep them in proper slidable relation to the flange-plates D E F G.The upper central plate B of the receiver is supported from the uppermiddle bar C by means of a T-rail H, secured longitudinallyalong thecenter line of said plate and grasped on opposite sides by angle-ironsh,fastened to and projecting downwardly from the lower edges or cornersof said bar. This plate B can thus be slid lengthwise in and out ofengagement with the bar C and be raised or lowered with it by theverticallyslidable beams A A to which it is attached, but, like said barC, is laterally immovable. The upper lateral plates B B are suspendedeach from one of the two upper pairs of parallel bars C C by means oftwo reverselyarranged inverted-L-shaped ribs I I, secured longitudinallyon the top of said lateral plates and projecting over so as to slidablyengage with oppositely-disposed metal strips ii, that line the underside and extend a short distance over one edge of each member of saidtwo pairs of parallel bars. These plates B B' lap over the center plateB on opposite sides thereof-*that is, at their inner edges, whichproject inwardly under and between the two pairs of bars 0 C, asshown*and at their outer edges said plates extend outwardly from undersaid pairsof bars, so as to engage the upper curves of the side platesB* B hereinbefore described. Owing to this arrangement the said upperlateral plates are securely held transversely and vertically andperforce will follow the movements each of its respective pair of barson the suspended beams A A", while admitting of being freely slidlongitudinally. Therefore these top lateral plates will have the sameup-and-down and in-andout movements as the center plate between them,and in addition they are laterally movable over and partly across thesurface thereof within its turned ends or guide-flanges b, beforementioned. The bottom lateral plates B B are connected with the lowerparallel pairs of bars C 0 each by means of two reversely-turnedL-shaped ribs 1 1 secured to its under face and slidably engaging,respectively, the adjacent edges of metal strips o 2' that line theupper sides of the two bars in each pair and slightly project within thesame. The inner edge of each plate B B rests on top of and extendsinwardly from the metal strip attached to the inner member of its pairof bars, while the outer edge of each said plate rests within the lowercurve of the adjoining side plate B or B which itself bears on the metalstrip on the outer member of the pair of bars to which either bottomlateral plate B B belongs. The lower middle plate B finds support at itsedges upon the adjoining edges of the plates B B and centrally on metalstrips 3', fastened to and projecting upwardly from the upper edges orcorners of the lower middle fixed bar C, between which strips enters arail J, secured to the under face of and running along said plate B. Itwill be seen that by this arrangement the lower central plate B iscapable of longitudinal reciprocation only, whereas its companionlateral plates B B can be slid transversely under it by their bars C Calong the fixed beams A and within the guide-flanges Z) besidespartaking its said longitudinal reciprocation. The func-- tion of theseveral joints above described, it is manifest, is to hold the bottomplates securely to the lower bars while loading them with the fillingmaterial, to enable the top plates to be raised and lowered by the upperbars and suspended beams for charging and pressing, and at the same timeto admit of and IIO to guide the free longitudinal movements of theprimary recelver to and from the container, as Well as to connect thetop and bottom lat eral plates with their respective barsin order thatthe transverse movements of these bars may positively impart the samemovements to the said lateral plates in adjusting to the width of thecontainer.

As hereinbefore suggested, the side plates B B of the primary receiverare longitudinally slidable against the edges of the top and bottomlateral plates B B B B. They are controlled in their movements and heldin place by guides B B, within which they are made to slide. The guidesB" B comprise angular plates that are formed by bending sheet metalaround and securing it to light metal bars K and which plates constitutevertical outwardly-slanting extensions on opposite sides of theprimaryreceiver. The depth of the receiver is thus increased by the said guidesB B, the inner walls of which flare outwardly, and sufiicient room isprovided for the required quantity of loose filling to be compressed inthe receiver. The height of the extensions, which may be varied byadjusting the same vertically, as will be fully described, indicates theproper quantity of filling to be put in for any given thickness ofmattress. They are held up in position and adjusted vertically byspring-steel bars 71:, riveted to their outer or vertical face andslidable withinloops'la secured to the outer face of the lower outermostreceiver-bars C on each side of the machine. In order to hold the saidguides B B at any desired elevation, these loops 7:: are provided withset-screws 71;, the ends of which impinge against the ad justing steelbars l2. These steel bars k are arranged at suitable distances from theends of the lower side receiver-bars C C, to which they are clamped,andwhere I employ one or more intermediate steel bars 71: I sometimesomit, as suggested in Figs. 4 and 9, the setscrew la for saidintermediate bars, as it is only necessary to provide the end bars withsuch set screws. It is manifest that for straight work, such as formattresses orquilts of a given thickness, this adjustability of theguides B B would not be necessary, as the containers being all of thesame size theheight of the receiver would not need to be varied. Amachine for such straight work need not have guides that can be raisedand loweredthat is, adjusted for receiver sides of different heights. Inconnection with the adjustability in question I provide the sides 13* Bof various widths, as already. stated. My object for making-the guides BB outwardly slanting, so as to have extension sides that are divergentupwardly or, which is the same thing, convergent downwardly,as shown, isto permit the same to be forced outwardly by the downward movement ofthe receiver top, so that said top may be engaged by the receiver sides.

&

These guides hold the sides of the receiver in position and are ect intothe ath of the to r downwardly, and

when the latter is moved hence must be capable of yielding to permit thetop to pass thereby. To effect this, the the steel bars carrying theguides are made yielding or elastic and the guides formed with and themetal bars of the guides B" B, as

illustrated in Fig. '1, and the lower edges of said side plates B B bypreference also are placed within angles 11 i of the metal strips 05 onthe outermost bars U" C", that carry them. which obviates the necessityotherwise of making the guides B B very Wide, so as to reach far enoughdown to give them the needed support in every case.

A lazy-tongs mechanism is provided at both top and bottom to adjust thelateral plates B B B B" transversely upon the middle plates B and B.(See Figs. 1, 4E, and 9.) Referring first to the top, this provisioncomprises a centrally pivoted or fulcrumed lever L, tongs M, disposed inopposite pairs, the individuals of each pair having hinge connectionwith a centrally-disposed slidable clip on at their inner ends and attheir outer ends with the shoes (Z c of the farthest apart of theparallel bars C O, and links N, pivotally connecting each a clip m with.an arm of said lever L on opposite sides of its fulcrum or pivot, whichconsists of a pin or bolt L, screwed into an inverted-U-shaped castingL, transversely fastened to the top part of the upper central scantling(1. The movable clips on grasp and are slidable longitudinally upon adoublefianged or T-shaped track m, running along the top of said centralscantling (3. They are moved in one direction or the other, asrequiredyby means of the lever L, to which it is nowevident that thethey are linked. upper parallel pairs of bars C 0 will be drawn togetheror pushed apart, and the top lateral plates B B,suspended therefrom,will be slid transversely upon their central plate B by the longitudinalIGClIJI'OCZLiJiOIl of the clips m, through theagency of theaforementioned centrally-pivoted double-armed lever L, which is madesufliciently long to reach across the machine, as shown, so as to beconveniently manipulated by a Workman on either side. The lazy-tongsarrangement for the bottom lateral plates B B is an exact duplicate ofthat employed for the top lateral plates aforesaid, the only differencebetween them being that the lower mechanism 1s in an inverted position.Thus the last-named mech anism comprises a lever L, Figs. 1 and'9, withcentral pivot L secured to a U-shaped casting L transversely attached tothe bottom part of the lower middle scantling C, oppositely-disposedpairs of tongs M, whose individual members have hinge connection attheir inner and outer ends, respectively, with a central slidable clipon and with the shoes f g of the outermost parallel bars C G and linksI, each connecting a clip m with an arm of the lever L pivotally onopposite sides of its fulcrum. The slidable clips m grasp and move alonga T-shaped or double-flanged track of, secured longitudinally to thebottom of said middle scantling (I. The action of these parts of thesaid lower lazy-tongs mechanism is precisely the same as in the upperone, the working of the lever L causing the reciprocation of the clips mthrough the links N and efiecting the transverse adjustment of the lowerparallel pairs of bars 0 C and corresponding adjustment of the bottomlateral plates B B carried thereby, with relation to their central plateB. This lower lazy-tongs mechanism, it will be observed, controls andeffects at the same time and to the same extent the transverseadjustment of the side plates 13* B which rest edgewise on the outermostbars C C within the guides B 13, also carried by the bars last named, asbefore described, so that these side plates and their guides when inposition move in and out with the bottom lateral plates B B according asthe lever L is operated to adjust them, and consequently the bottom partof the primary receiver, to the desired width of mattress or quilt.

Except for filling quilts and similar flat containers the edges of thebars C C C C that contact with the top and bottom lateral plates B B B Bare not usually kept on a straight line in their traverse alinement, asthey appear in Fig. 1, but are hollowed divergently, gradually curvingto about one inch out of the straight line, so that the filling whencompressed ready to be conveyed to the container gradually swells towardthe middlewidthwise throughoutthe entire length, whichis adesiredcondition. To accommodate these varying conditions that is,to keep thesebars and plates properly related and provide for the adjustment of theirtransverse alinement-I make the flange-plates D E F Gr each in twopieces and pivot each piece near its inner end, as shown at 0 0 0 0,Fig. 1. A set-screw P is placed at or near the outer end of each piecefor adjusting the desired curvature of the aforesaid transversealinement. For this purpose I prefer to make the flange-plates D E F Gof somewhat T-shaped angle-iron and to embed the webs or centralperpendicular members thereof in the cross-beams A A A* Amortise-and-tenon fashion, so that each shall operate'within its grooveor mortise in the end of the cross-beam to which it is pivoted. SeeFigs. 1 and 5.) Of course for work of the same nature wherethe samecurvature or straightness is constant I would preferably omit theswell-adjusting provisions and keep the bars C C C C and their connectedplates B B B B rigidly alined by firmly securing the flange-plates D E FG to the beams A A A and making these flange-plates and beams eithercurved or straight to suit.

For quiltsand other fiat containers the alinement'is as shown in Fig. 1;but for mattresses, which to be well made should be swelled in themiddle-that is, thicker therethan' at the edges-it is necessary to alterthat alinement. To efi'ect this, the pieces D, E, F and G are pivoted attheir inner ends, as described, a provision which admits of the two setsof scantlings to be adjusted, and hence the receiver top and bottom tobe curved transversely. Where it is desired to manufacture onlycentrally-swelled mattresses, the plates D, E, F, and G are not pivoted;but in that case the receiver top and bottom are given the proper curvein constructing the machine, and hence the latter is not provided withthe construction specified above, which I designate as swell-adjustingprovisions. 7

As a means for elevating the top plates B B" 3" out of the way forcharging the primary receiver and for other obvious reasons, I secure toeach end of the two beams A A that carry the upper parallel bars G C C'and the said top plates, a rope Q, which I run diagonally of the plan ofthe machine over and around a standing or suspending pulley Q and attachto a weight Q located centrally above the machine, as shown in Fig. 1.Four such ropes and pulleys are therefore provided, and the same keepthe said beams A A suspended oppositely to said weight Q which is madeof the proper size to balance them and the parts combined therewith, sothat a slightpower or pressure with the hands applied to one edge of thereceiver-top will ordinarily sufiice to move it up or down the requiredextent, and the said top will remain at any desired elevation. Each ropeQ is formed with a loop (1 at one end, through which passes a staple q,that holds it to its beam A or A and at its other end the top is madefast to an adjusting eyebolt g screwed into a corner-lug Q3 of thebalancing-weight Q Itis now manifest in view of the connection of partsabove described that by elevating the suspended upper beams A* A or,conversely, by lowering them or applying pressure thereto acorresponding effect is had upon the top parallel bars C C 0" and topplates B B B. These suspended beams are therefore utilized to impartthrough said top bars and plates the requisite pressure for the propercompression of the filling material when arranged within the primaryreceiver. This pressure I apply by means of four levers R, fulcrumed oneon each corner post or standard A and having each a pendent ratchet-barR with teeth directed downward and adapted to act toward and against anupwardly-pointed dog-cli p R one of which latter is secured to each endof both of the aforesaid suspended beams A" A. (See Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4,and 9.) The levers B have each their pivot '1 in a bracket r, and eachhas its ratchet-bar R loosely pivoted to it at r inside its fulcrum andabove the corresponding dog-clip R in such a manner that thedownwardly-projectingteeth of the several pendent ratchet-bars shallautomatically drop into contact and successively engage with the severaldog-clips, thereby .bearing upon and forcing down the suspended beams AA and the receiver-top therewith as the said levers R are beingoscillated. The four levers R are arranged in opposite pairs on eachside of the machine with their handles approaching each other, so thateach such pair can be grasped and operated by one workman.

In orderto keep the top of the primary receiver firmly in contact withthe filling material as it is gradually pressed down by the levers R,particularly while these levers are being released to enable theirratchet-bars R to take a fresh hold on the dog-clips R of the suspendedbeams A A, with which the said receivertop is combined, I employ catchesS, suspended beams at any point the same may adapted each to hold downone end of said be driven along their respective runways A A As shown inFigs. 1 and 3, each catch S consists of a bolt or pin carried by andsliding through a block S fastened to the inner side of the beam endwhich the catch is to hold. A spiral spring S attached to both beam andcatch, urges the latter into engagement with a vertical line of holes Sin a rack S (best seen in Figs. 2 and 3,) which rack is secured to thepost A along which the beam runs. The holes S are so inclined downwardlyand inwardly and the springs S of such strength and so disposed that theseveral catches S will slide down from one hole into another as thesuspended beams A A are pressed down, but will not become disengaged normove in an upward direction without first being positively retracted.All or any one of the catches S can thus be used to hold down thereceivertop or any particular corner or end thereof according as thefilling must be compressed. To retract the said catches S to allow thetop of the receiver to be raised or for any other reason, I provide themeach with an integral handle or crank S, which I bring to bear againstthe edge of a curved plate S inclined.

away from the engaging rack S and secured to the end of the suspendedbeam ad acent thereto. Turning up the handle or crank S,

as represented in Fig. 3, will cause it to pull out the catch S in eachcase, and thus free the end of the suspended beam. A notch S is made intheupper inclined edge of the plate to hold the handle or crank S, whendesired, to keep the catch S in its retracted pos1t1on.

For the forward or discharge end of the 1 primary receiver I provide adoublenvinged stop-gate composed of a central plate T and two sideplates T T, bent somewhat as shown in cross-section in Fig. 5 and hingedhorizontally by a rod t, that passes through lugs 25 on the face of saidplates T T T and through brackets t on the forward standards A at asuitable distance above said receiver. (See Figs. 1, 1, and 9 inaddition to Fig. This gate is used for the twofold purpose of aiding inthe charging of the receiver and forpreventing the charge or fillingfrom being dragged out of its container by the withdrawal of thereceiver therefrom. The said gate is adjustable widthwise ortransversely of the machine somewhat after the mann erof the top andbottom of the receiver--that is to say, the side plates T T are adaptedto slide within and are held by grasping-flanges t" of the central plateT. A hook t rocking in. staples 2?, Figs. 1 and 5, is placed againsteach end of said central plate T to hold the gate firm against theforward end of the receiver while the latter is being charged. How thisstopgate held against the filled container will he explained farther on.

The tick, case, or other container to be filled (represented by U inFigs. 10, 11, and 12) is laid flat upon a stand or table V, forward ofthe machine, at the proper elevation and in position to receive thecharged primary receiver. The top of this stand or table is made toconform in shape to the bottom of the re receiver, Whether straight orcurved, as here, inbefore set forth, and it is usually inclined, sothatits near end shall be slightly below the plates B B B of saidreceiver-bottom and its remote end sligl'itly higher, which affords someadvantage in running the receiver into the container not to be hadotherwise. Thus the bottom of the charged receiver entering thecontainer will not hear much on the top surface of the stand till abouthalf-way in, and there will be no dragging of the container by frictionagainst the stand.

For shifting the primary receiver longitunally-tl1at is to say, forconveying it charged into the empty container and for returning thereceiver empty to the machine from the filled container-I provide asprocket device, consisting of a pair of wheels and chain, for

each middle plate B B, as shown in Figs. 1,

4, 9,10, 11, and 12. The lower sprocketwheels X are mounted so as torevolve in a vertical plane in brackets X secured to the outer face ofthe lower fixed beams A". centrally of the machine, one at each end, andthe shaft as of the front wheel of this pair reaches both ways acrossthe machine and is journaled in bearings on the front standards A,beyond which its ends are somewhat extended and. arranged to receiveeach a handcrank 00 Over and around these two wheels X is placed theendless sprocket-chain X which passes through suitable notches orapertures in the beams A and along the top and bottom of thecentralfixed bar G within the metal strips j and under the track mthrough the movable clips m and fixed casting L of the width-adjustinglazy-tongs mechanism for the receiver-bottom. Theupper'sprocket-wheels Xare mounted similarly to the lower ones in brackets X", secured to' theouter face of the suspended beams A A, and the rear one of this upperpair of wheels also has its shaft a/extended across the machine but oneway only to a journaling-bracket 0 on the rear of the beam A andfurnished with a bevel-gear and crank device 00', Figs. aand 9, which isusually so proportioned as to give the desired purchase in each machine.The sprocket-chain X for the wheels X runs across the lower edge of thebeams A* A along the top and bottom of the upper middle bar C, throughthe movable clips on and fixed casting L of the width-adjustinglazy-tongs arrangement for the receiver-top, over the track on, andwithin the angle-irons 71. The sprocket-chains X X, it is needless tosay, move longitudinally and centrally of the machine and of therespective middle plates of the primary receiver, the lower one belowits bottom plate B and the upper one above its top plate B. They aremade fast by one of their links and a stud, each to the middle rail ofits respective plate, as seen at H J Figs. 10, 11, and 12, so as topositively shift the same as the sprocket device is operated by itscrank or cranks, so that the motion of the chain is imparted to theparticular top or bottom plate or to the receiver as a whole. The movingof the receiver as a whole will presently be explained.

I prefer to convey the charged receiver to and within the container bythe agency of the lower sprockets for greater convenience and simplicityand to employ the upper sprockets solely for the withdrawal from thecontainer of the top plates B B" B. For this purpose I combine allplates composing the receiver on the inward movement of the lower platesby means of angle-iron catches Y Y Y of which the catches Y are madefast to the inner surface of the rear corners of the bottom lateralplates B B, Y to the inner face of the rear ends of the side plates B* Band Y to the top lateral plates B B, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 6, 7, 8,10, 11, and 12. It will be understood that by moving forward the bottommiddle plate B through the lower sprockets the rear flange or turned end6 of this plate will cause the bottom lateral plates B B to move alongwith it; and the catches Y thereon will impinge against the rear face ofthe catches Y of the side plates B B which latter-named catches willalso act against the rear face of the catches Y of the top lateralplates B'B, that lie within the flange b of the top middle plate B attheir front ends, by

which arrangement it is manifest that by the forward movement of thelower plates the entire receiver is moved forward. s

The open end of the container U is slipped over the open front end ofthe charged receiver after the latter has been slightly advanced and thestop-gate unhooked and tipped up out of the way, as indicated in Fig.10, the gate being held up by the receiver as it is forced past. Whilebeing filled the container may be held in place by hand or with the aidof hand hooks or by any other convenient means, whether separate from orattached to some part of the machine, as preferred. No specialtick-holding devices are necessary to the successful operation of mymachine. No plunger is required either to ram or force the charge intothe container, as the previous compression of the filling causes it toadhere to .the walls of the open-ended receiver sufficiently to make itslide in freely without any such auxiliary appliance as a plunger orfollower, which therefore would be useless. The only thing requisite toproperly stuff the container is to have the filling reach far enoughback in the receiver to come to the mouth of the container when itsclosed end is reached by the receiver, as represented in Fig. 11.

My preferred method of withdrawing the receiver from the filledcontainer is illustrated in Fig. 12, wherein the several plates thatcompose the receiver are in process of being removed separately,beginning with the top plates B B B, which are seen withdrawn to abouttheir normal position in the machine; but before I can bring back theseplates without bringing the whole receiver with them I must release thecatches Y which I do by narrowing up the top of the receiver by thelever L and its lazy-tongs arrangement, it being understood that thesaid top and also the bottom are made long enough to remain partly inthe machine after filling the container. The top plates are first pulledback, as just said, through the upper sprockets connected therewith orthey may be pulled back by hand. Then the stop-gate that was theretoforetipped up is dropped or swung down into the receiver and against themouth of the container, as shown, to bar the Withdrawal of the filling,the top of the receiver being slightly elevated to facilitateadjustment. Having been adjusted, this stop-gate is held firm againstthe container by lowering the top of the receiver again, so that theforward end of its plates will bear against the back of sad gate, assuggested in Fig. 1, or else if for any reason it were deemed preferableto have the top plates of the receiver up and out of the way the gatecould be secured in position by placing a crossbar back of it or by anyother desirable means. The bottom plates B B B are next withdrawn by thelower sprockets, and finally the side plates B B which were left in thebox of rc4,5oo

the ticking or container, are drawn back by hand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A machine of the kind described com prising a suitable frame, acompressing-receiver thereinwith a permanently-open rear end andconsisting of top, bottom and sides arranged to encompass the fillingmaterial, and means for conveying said receiver with its charge out ofthe frame and into the container or ticking.

2. A machine of the kind described comprising a receiver for the fillingmaterial permanently open at its rear end and composed of platesconstituting its bottom, sides, andtop, a supporting-frame therefor,means for moving one of said plates out of said frame, andinterconnections whereby, upon this movement taking place, the saidbottom, sides, and top will engage one another and the receiver becarried as a whole into the container.

3. A machine of the kind described comprising a receiver,laterally-yieldable extensions to the receiver sides, a supportinglramethereunder, a pressurertop, and means for forcing down said top upon thefilling material and into engagement with the sides of the receiverbelow said extensions.

4. In a machine of the kind described, a primary receiver consisting ofbottom plates transversely adjustable one upon another and coupled toreciprocate longitudinally together, a similarly-constructed top, andside plates slidably engaging said top and bottom plates.

5. In a machine of the kind described, a re-- ceiver for the fillingmaterial composed of transversely-adjustable bottom and top plates andside plates slidably engaging therewith, combined with guide-plates forsaid receiver sides, a supporting-frame, and means for moving thereceiver along said guide-plates in and out of said frame.

6. A machine of the character described comprising a suitable framework,a receiver for the filling permanently open at its rear end, avertically-movable pressure-top, means for forcing said top upon thefilling material, racks on the framework, and spring-pressedlongitudinally-slidable catches engaging holes in said racks andcooperating with the pressing means for holding the top from upwardmovement during the compressing operation.

7. A machine of the kind described comprising a frame consisting ofstationary and movable parts, a primary receiver for the fillingmaterial therein having its bottom and top composed each of a pluralityof plates, and means for adjustably connecting said bottom and topplates respectively to the stationary and movable parts of said framesto provide for the curvature or straightening of the receivertransversely, as required.

8. A machine of the kind described comfor moving said receiver bodilyinto the container or ticking and removing it therefrom in sections.

10. A machine of the character described, comprising a receiver for thefilling having a separable top, bottom and sides, and means for movingsaid receiver bodily into the container or ticking and removing itsseveral parts therefrom separately.

11. In am achine of the character described,

a receiver for the filling permanently open at its rear end, means formoving said receiver into and out of the container or ticking, and meansfor preventing the withdrawal of the filling from the container with thereceiver.

12. In a machine of the character described, a receiver for the fillingopen at both ends, and means for moving said receiver into and out ofthe container or ticking.

13. Ina machine of the character described, a supporting frame,transversely movable members carried thereby, a receiver comprisingsides anda sectional bottom connected to said members to slidelongitudinally thereon but to move transverselytherewith to contract orexpand the receiver, said bottom being composed of lapping plates; meansfor elfecting the transverse movement of said members, avertically-sliding frame movable on said supporting-f "ame,transversely-movable members carried by said sliding frame, a sectionaltop for the receiver connected to said lastnamed members to slidelongitudinally thereon butto move transversely therewith to contract orexpand the top, said top also consisting of lapping plates, means foreffecting the transverse movement of said members of thevertically-sliding frame, and means for moving said receiver as a wholelongitudinally upon the several transverse]y-movable members.

14. In a machine of the character described, a receiver for the fillingcomprising sides and.

a sectional bottom movable longitudinally and adjustable transversely tovary the width of the receiver, means for effecting the transversemovement of the sides and sections of the bottom, a vertically-movablepressure-top movable longitudinally and formed of transversely-movablesections, means for moving said sections transversely to vary the widthof the top, and means for effecting the longitudinal movement of saidreceiver as a whole including the pressure-top.

15. In a machine of the character described, an open-ended receiver forthe filling comprising a separable bottom and sides and a pressure-top,guides for retaining the sides in position, and means for adjusting theguides to accommodate sides of different widths.

16. In a machine of .the character described, a receiver for the fillingpermanently open at its rear end, a pressure-top for the receiver, andvertical extensions for said receiver disposed above the upper edges ofthe side walls thereof, the pressure-top being adapted to pass betweensaid extensions and engage with said side walls.

17. In a machine of the character described, a receiver for the fillingcomprising aseparable top, bottom and sides, separate means connectedwith said top and bottom for efi'ecting the independent longitudinalmovement of said parts rearwardly, and means for connecting said top,bottom and sides when one of said parts is moved longitudinally in afor-Wardly direction so that the receiver as a whole will be carriedforwardly.

18. In a machine of the character described, a receiver for the fillingcomprising a receptacle open at both ends and provided with apressure-top for compressing the filling, and a gate arranged to closethe forward end of the receiver during the compressing operation.

19. In a machine of the character described, a receiver for the fillingpermanently open at its rear end, a vertically-movable pressuretoptherefor, levers provided with pendent ratchet-bars for forcing saidpressure-top downwardly, and automatically-acting catches for retainingthe top from upward movement as it is forced downwardly.

20. In a machine of the character described, a receiver for the fillingcomprising a separable top, bottom and side walls, means for moving saidreceiver as a whole into the container or ticking, means for moving thetop and bottom separately from the container, and an abutment arrangedto close the open end of the container when one of said Walls has beenremoved to prevent withdrawal of the filling during the removal of theremaining walls. I

'21. In a machine of the character described, a sectional receiver forthe filling constructed to be moved bodily into the ticking and to beremoved therefrom in sections and means for effecting the movement ofthe receiver.

22. In a machine of the character described, a receiver for the fillingcomprising a separable top, bottom and sides and arranged to be movedbodily into the ticking and to have its several parts removed separatelyfrom the ticking and means for effecting the movement of the receiver.

Signed at San Francisco this 13th day of August, 1901.

FRANCIS A. RICE. Witnesses:

CHAS. T. STANLEY, A. H. STE. MARIE.

